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Pope John 23 Research Paper

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Pope John XXIII was one of the most influential Popes the Catholic Church had in the 20th century, and perhaps one of the most important in its history. What he was able to do for the Church in his short amount of time holding the Papacy was incredible. Originally seen as a transitional Pope, John XXIII was certainly much more than that. His work in connecting with those of different denominations of Christianity, as well as those of different faiths, has been instrumental to this day. And, most of all, his call for the Vatican Council II was paramount for the modernization of the church. Because of this, this paper will show that Pope John XXIII was important to the history of the Catholic Church by pushing it toward the 21st century and …show more content…

The day he was born his mother and father took him to receive baptism, waiting in the snow for hours until the priest would arrive. Growing up, “He had much to make him happy: kind parents; the open country; pleasant neighbors; and work.” (Perrotta p. 98). So, although his childhood was not easy, being filled with hard work, he grew up in a happy, Catholic family. His first exposure to Priesthood came in the next town over, in Carvico. It is here that Roncalli’s father, Giovanni, “handed his son over to the local pastor, young Don Pietro Nolis, who was also the teacher,” (Hatch p. 28). Early on his father had seen talent in him that he thought could take him further than the farm. “When the boy was nine years of age, after finishing all that the little parish school could afford to give him, his father registered him for the sixth grade in the superior school of Celano,” (Perrotta p. 100). It was here that Roncalli would learn of his true calling; the vocation that is …show more content…

“Like millions of other young Italians Roncalli was called to the colors.” (Hatch p. 60). Roncalli would serve in the medical corps and as a Chaplain in the Italian Army. His experiences in the war affected him profoundly. It was in these horrors that he was able to learn more about the human spirit. Pope John XXIII would recall later in his life that during the war he was a, “witness to the highest moral and religious ideals for which those valiant men have not hesitated to give their lived.” (Hatch p. 61). Even though he had experienced the trauma of warfare, Pope John XXIII saw it as a blessing for his life. “I thank God that I was a sergeant and a military chaplain in World War I. How much I learned of the human heart at that time; how much experience I gained; how great the grace I received…” (Hatch p.

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